Jumping stand with pivotally mounted horizontal bar

ABSTRACT

A jumping stand for use at swimming pools or other locations including a base and vertical pole with attached horizontal bar which can be set at various heights and which will swing out of the way when struck by a lateral force. The horizontal bar is attached to the vertical pole by an adjustable clamp. This clamp includes a ledge on which the horizontal bar rests when in the generally horizontal attitude. The bar is so mounted on the ledge that the bar will move off the ledge and pivot downwardly out of the horizontal position when struck by the aforementioned lateral force.

United States Patent Ward et a1. Aug. 19, 1975 [54] JUMPING STAND WITH PIVOTALLY 1,362,856 12/1920 Drake at al. 248/487 MOUNTED HORIZONTAL BAR 2,202,738 5/l940 Keller 273/1021 G 3,204,898 9/1965 Manningm. 248/44 1 Inventors: Frederick Alfonso Ward, 1750 3,494,583 2/1970 Parr 248/125 x Stokes St., N01 168, San Jose, Calif. 3,554,473 1/1971 Rakov et a1... 248/44 95126; Leslie Augustus Harvey, 3,794,279 2/ 1974 Kramer 248/44 8531 Victory Rd, La Mesa, Calif. 92041 Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham [22] Filed, Aug. 15 1974 Assistant Examiner-R. T. Stouffer l Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Moore, Gerald L. [2]] Appl. No: 497,683

[57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl 272/1 B; 248/44; 248/230;

. A umpmg stand for use at swimming pools or other 2425/4175 272/59 273/l02 273/105 R locations including a base and vertical pole with at- [51] Int. Cl. A6313 69/00 tached horizontal bar WhlCl'll can be set at various [58] Field of Search 272/1 R, 1 B, 57 R, 59 C, h

eights and WhlCll Wlll swing out of the way when 272/66,71;4/l72, 172.11,172.12, 172.13,

struck by a lateral force. The horizontal bar Is at- 17216 17217 tached to the vertical ole b an ad'ustable clam 172.19; 35/29 B; 248/44, 125, 158, 346, 487, p y 1 This clamp includes a ledge on which the horizontal 221, 230, 475 B; 273/1 R, 102 AP, 102 S, I I

102 i R 102 l C 102 l G 105 R bar rests when in the generally horlzontal attitude. The bar is so mounted on the ledge that the bar will References Cited mo /e off the ledge and pivot downwardly out of the horizontal position when struck by the aforemen- UNITED STATES PATENTS tioned lateral force.

662,810 11 1900 Peak 272 59 C 789,720 5/1905 Dean 272/1 R 3 Clam, 5 Drawmg Flglres JUMPING STAND WITH PIVOTALLY MOUNTED HORIZONTAL BAR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In diving instruction good execution dictates that a certain height be reached such that the diver can thereafter enter the water along a substantially vertical line of descent. In order to accomplish this, it is necessary that a student diver be forced to jump upward more than outward. In the past, instructors have held broom handles or other devices horizontally and forced the diver to go over the target. It is one of the purposes of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive diving bar which is used both for instructional purposes and for recreation at poolside.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Ajumping stand comprising a weighted base adapted to support a substantially vertical pole to which is clamped an elongated horizontal bar serving ajumping target. The bar is supported in a manner to swing out of the way when struck by the jumper.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a perspective view of the invention located at poolside.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the clamping means for the target bar.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the breakaway mechanism for the target bar and FIG. 5 shows a target supported from the target bar illustrating other recreational uses for the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In FIG. I there is shown one embodiment of the invention comprising the jumping stand which is positioned at the edge 11 of a swimming pool such that a target bar I2 generally is positioned out over the water 14. In this embodiment the target bar marks a position over which it is desired for a diver positioned on the edge of the pool to pass upon entering the water in good diving form. and naturally the height of the bar should be adjusted in accordance with the abilities and physical size of each diver.

In accordance with the present invention the target bar 12 is supported on an elongated pole 15 extending in a generally vertical direction with the lower end supported in a base 16 adapted to set on the ground which in this instance is the pool deck. The base generally comprises a flat bottomed basin preferably made of a plastic material so as to form an inner basin 17 into which water 18 can be poured. Because the pole 15 extends both vertically and horizontally out over the pool water. it is necessary that the base be sufficiently heavy to counteract the weight of the cantilevered pole tending to tip the jumping stand over. While other means can be provided for adding weight to the base. the preferable embodiment allows sand. water or other fluid to be held in the base to provide the counterweight. Naturally the water at poolside is readily available and can be emptied for movement and storage of the jumping stand.

Preferaby at one edge of the base 16 there is formed a recess I9 adapted to receive the lower end of the pole I5 and support the pole such that it extends upward from the base. In the embodiment shown. there is also included a recess 20 joining with the recess 19 at the mouth thereof but positioned to support the pole more in the vertical attitude. However for diving instruction it is preferable to position the pole in-the recess 19 such that it extendsout over the water.

The pole I5 can be of any length but preferably is three to four feet long and is formed of sections indicated by the seam lines 15A so that it can be broken down to a smaller size for transporting and storage. On one side of the pole are graduation marks 21 (see FIG. 2) indicating settings at which the target bar 12 can be positioned.

The target bar is supported on a mounting means or clamp 22 comprising an elongated flat clamping member 23. This member is flexible and has a spring-like resiliency so that it can be bent into a general U-shape as illustrated. At spaced positions in the clamping member are a pair of holes 24 and 25 preferably slightly oblong in the direction of the elongated axis of this member but generally adapted to fit over the pole 15. Thus as shown in the drawings, this member is bent into the general U configuration by movement of the end 23A (to the phantom position illustrated in FIG. 2) and fitted over the end of the pole 15. By releasing the pressure on the ends, this clamping member will spring back to the solid line position and be clamped into a fixed attitude on the bar 15.

For supporting the target bar 12 the clamping member includes another hole 26 positioned further to one end from one of the openings receiving the pole 15. This hole is of sufficient size to receive a bolt 27 (see also FIGS. 3 and 4). The bolt preferably includes a washer 28 and a spring 29 positioned on one side of the member 23 and extends through the opening 26 and a hole 30 in one end of the target bar 12. Thereafter a washer 31 and a nut 32 are fit onto this bolt to firmly attach the bar 12 to the clamp 22.

Adjacent the pole 30 is a ledge 34 formed by bending an extending edge of the clamping member 23 to a position extending at right angles to the member and in a direction to the same side of this member as the bar 12. Thus as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the bar is normally supported in a horizontal position to serve as a marker over which the jumper can pass. However in normal instructional usage the diver will not always reach a sufficient height to pass over the bar I2 and in some instances will hit the bar. To avoid injury to the diver, the bar is supported so that it will swing out of the way through the phantom position 12A shown in FIG. I to hang vertically. For this purpose and as illustrated in FIG. 4, when a horizontal force as illustrated by the arrow 35 is exerted on the bar 12, the bar will pivot in that direction about the bolt 27 by compressing the spring 29 and pulling the bolt on through the member 23. Upon reaching the position illustrated. the member 12 will clear the ledge or projection 34 and under its own weight will drop vertically by pivoting around the bolt 27 to fall out of the way of the diver. Of course it can easily be reset back in the horizontal position by swinging the free end back to the solid line position and moving the rod from the position shown in FIG. 4 to the position of FIG. 3 resting on the ledge. In addition the clamping member 23 can also pivot about the pole 15 when sufficient force is exerted. on the member through the bar 12 to also assist in swinging the bar out of the way when quick or extreme force is exerted on the bar.

In the manner illustrated there is provided a diving bar supporting stand having universal use for the in struction of diving. However it should be understood that the only use for this stand is not for diving instruction but the invention will also serve a stand for jumping instruction or for such other recreational ad- Vance, as limbo dancing in which the participant passes under the bar. In addition as illustrated in FIG. 5 it is possible to hang onto the bar 12 targets such as the target 36 having an opening 37 therethrough. In this instance, the target opening is adapted to pass a frisbee or other light projectile. Of course the target could also be configured so that baseballs or other thrown objects can be thrown through a center opening. In each case it is evident that the breakaway feature for support of the bar 12 is very useful because if the target is struck in any manner, it will cause the bar 12 to drop to the lower position thereby indicating that the target has been struck or hit. Of course by tightening and loosening the nut 32 on the bolt 27, the force necessary to cause the bar to disengage the ledge 34 can be adjusted in accordance with the game requirements.

We claim:

1. A jumping stand comprising the combination of:

a base, said base including weight bearing means and also including a recess extending generally in the vertical direction;

an elongated pole having one end adapted to fit within said base recess for extension of the other end upward from the base;

a clamp adapted for attachment to the pole, said clamp comprising an elongated spring-like flat member having spaced holes therethrough slightly larger than the cross-section of said pole whereby with pressure said flat member can be bent and said pole passed through both holes and with the release of the bending pressure said flat member will grip the pole, said flat member also including an opening for receiving a bolt;

an elongated bar said bar including an opening near one end for receiving a bolt;

means for mounting the elongated bar on the clamp including a bolt fastener passing through the flat member bolt opening and the elongated bar bolt opening;

said clamp also including a ledge spaced from the flat member bolt opening on which the bar rests when in the generallyhorizontal attitude, said bar being so mounted on said ledge whereby with lateral pressure the bar will move off the ledge and pivot downwardly out of the horizontal position.

2. A jumping bar as defined in claim 1 including spring means for normally holding said bar on the ledge but being releasable to permit movement of the bar off of the ledge underthe force of said lateral pressure.

3. A jumping bar as defined in claim 2 wherein said base includes a plurality of recesses for receiving the pole and positioning it at various attitudes relative to the base. 

1. A jumping stand comprising the combination of: a base, said base including weight bearing means and also including a recess extending generally in the vertical direction; an elongated pole having one end adapted to fit within said base recess for extension of the other end upward from the base; a clamp adapted for attachment to the pole, said clamp comprising an elongated spring-like flat member having spaced holes therethrough slightly larger than the cross-section of said pole whereby with pressure said flat member can be bent and said pole passed through both holes and with the release of the bending pressure said flat member will grip the pole, said flat member also including an opening for receiving a bolt; an elongated bar, said bar including an opening near one end for receiving a bolt; means for mounting the elongated bar on the clamp including a bolt fastener passing through the flat member bolt opening and the elongated bar bolt opening; said clamp also including a ledge spaced from the flat member bolt opening on which the bar rests when in the generally horizontal attitude, said bar being so mounted on said ledge whereby with lateral pressure the bar will move off the ledge and pivot downwardly out of the horizontal position.
 2. A jumping bar as defined in claim 1 including spring means for normally holding said bar on the ledge but being releasable to permit movement of the bar off of the ledge under the force of said lateral pressure.
 3. A jumping bar as defined in claim 2 wherein said base includes a plurality of recesses for receiving the pole and positioning it at various attitudes relative to the base. 